The art of wood cutting is well developed and has made several progressive steps over the years. The majority of wood cutting, however, is still done with a flat circular blade having a plurality of teeth and rake members at the outer periphery. The teeth are inclined outwardly from the blade, a configuration known as "set", such that when they cut through the wood, the blade passes through a kerf which is wider than the blade is thick. The rake members are interspersed between cutting members to remove the particles severed by the cutting teeth, however, it has been found that the material which is removed by the cutting teeth tends to be of a dust form, i.e. sawdust, and the granular members tend to cake within the open portions between the teeth and the rake member. This clogging or buildup increases the friction between the blade and the wood while further containing the heat, detrimentally affecting the blade.
Another aspect of the currently used saw blades lies in the fact that the blades tend to become dull at a very rapid rate. The teeth become dull, their cutting edges become rounded thereby causing even more drag and more sawdust which inhibits the cutting operation and require a greater amount of power to accomplish the task.
In an attempt to relieve some of the problems noted hereinabove, it is proposed that the standard circular saw blade be altered to the extent that the cutting elements be conical teeth mounted to lobes forming a part of the saw blade, thereby eliminating the need for a set upon the blade and resulting in a narrower kerf and, as explained hereinafter, less drag. As the size of the blade gets larger i.e. when used for lumber mill operations, the amount of material which can be saved by a narrower kerf becomes substantial. Further, it is important to note, as will be pointed out in greater detail hereinafter, the utilization of a different saw blade and in particular one having conical teeth results in a different grade of waste i.e. one which may be used for particle board or the like.
An important aspect of sawing of course, is to keep the men and machines operational as much of the time as possible. When a machine must be shutdown to remove a dull blade and replace it or sharpen it in position, there is a substantial loss production time. With the introduction of a blade which has conical teeth which retain their sharpness for a greater period of time, there will be far less down time and thus greater production. Further the introduction of a blade which has reduced friction requires a smaller motor and less energy to saw logs and/or boards or in the alternative the log and/or board may be fed through the saw at a more rapid rate with a similar power consumption. With the above noted prior art and problems in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and unique saw blade wherein the saw kerf is narrower and wherein the waste product is particularized and thereby utilizable in particle board or the like.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a saw blade wherein the blade generates an outward flow of air which clears the waste product from the blade and from the kerf prior to it being reintroduced and jammed in the cut generating drag and friction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a unique saw blade wherein the cutting is actually done by a plurality of conical cutting elements which contact the substance being cut at an angle and thus serve to slice the material rather than impact it relieving internal stress and aiding the operation.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a circular saw blade wherein the aerodynamics generated by the blade moving through the air creates an outward flow of air from the base of the gullet passing by the front of the tooth rendering the saw self-cleaning.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a saw blade wherein the cutting teeth can be quickly and easily replaced without necessitating of down time on the machine.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a saw blade wherein the entire blade need not be removed in the event of damage of one or two of the teeth and these teeth can be quickly and easily replaced while the saw is in position.